Gate-operating mechanism



Mayr v10 1927.

1,628,092 l C. M. wHlTAKER GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 2s. 192s :s sweats-sheet 1 3 Shets-Sheet 3 4cfm. lwHlTAKER GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed nay 28. 1926 M i s. 7

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Patented May 10, 1927.

CARLOS M. WHI'IAKER,

0F GHENT, KENTUCKY.

GATE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed May 28,

This invention relates to gate operating mechanisms and more particularly to a device ot this character for operating a vertically swinging pivoted gate.

An important object olf the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be very cheaply and readily constructed and at the same time bey durable and elticient in service.

A iurtlier object oithe invention is to provide a device ot this character whereby two slii'lting elements, one arranged at each s :ide of the gate upon the right-of-way passing through the gate, serve to completely control the opening and closing movements of the gate without regard to the direction of travel ot the vehicle approaching the gate. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means lor counterbalancing the gate in its pivotal movement. v

A-further object ot the invention is to provide an operating mechanism including two control elements which are arranged at opposite sides of the gate .in which connections are provided between the control elements whereby engagement of one ot the control elements in a given direction opens the gate, at the same time shitting the other control element to a position where the vehicle continuing its travel andengaging the control element to operate the same in the same direction in which the first control ele ment was operated, closes 'the gate and resets the control elements 'lor a further operation.

These and other objects l attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings.; wherein 'lfor lthe purpose ot illustration is shown a preferred embodiment ot my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view showing a gate operating mechanism tliere'tor constructed in accordance with my invention, the gate being shown in the closed position in solid lines and in the open position in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation ot the gate showing the same in solid lines in the closed position and dotted lines in the open position; y

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the operating mechanism ttor the gate;

l Figure t is a side elevation of the operating mechanism for the gate;

1926.` Serial Nol. 112,384.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of one of the l reciprocating bars for the gate.

Referring now more particularly tothe drawings; the numeral 10 indicates a base plate which is ada )ted to be placed at one side oi? a i'ight-o't-way R and when ein* ployed with a vertically swinging gate to be positioned to extend transversely ot the right-ot`way- This base plate has, intermediate its ends, at the sides thereof standards l1 mounting a pivot 12 for the. gate 13, the connections of the gatey with the pivot being such that the bottom face of the gate, when Vin either `horizontal or vertical position, is spaced above the upper surface ot the base plate. opposite ends thereof and adjacent each side of the plate are pairs of pivots 14 upon which are mounted rollers 15 so constructed that between the rollers of each pair ina direction extending transversely of the plate and longitudinally ot' the right-o-way a slot 16 is tor1ned, i`or a purpose presently to appear.

The rollers are maintained in position upon the pivots thereof by flanges 17 toi-med upon vthe ends of the arms oli' a Ushaped yoke member 18, these flanges being secured to the heads ot' the pivot elements by nuts 19 or the like. Between the arms of each U-shaped yoke extends a horizontal pivot 2() upon which is mounted a further roller 21. A strap 22 is passed between the upper surface ot the base plate and the rollers and has its ends secured to one end 23 and the bottom 24 of 'the gate at points spaced from the pivot 12 which is arranged at the connection between said end and the bottom. Mounted in the slots between the rollers 15 at one end of the base plate is a. bar 25, while a similar bar 26 is correspondingly mounted in the slots of the rollers at the opposite ends ofthe base plate. These bars extend longitudinally of the right-o'f-way and each have secured thereto one end oit' a strap 27 passed about the inner rollers at one side of the plate and one end of a second similar strap 28 passed about the inner rollers ofthe pairs at the opposite sides of the plate. It will be noted that if the bar lhreaded into the plate at lll 26 is shifted longitudinally in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 3, the strap 27 will exercise a longitudinal pull upon the bar 25, causing the bar 25 to move in the direction of the arrow B oit this figure, while a corresponding but reverse movement takes place it the bar 25 is shifted in a direction opposite to the direction ot the arrow l. it the bar 25 is initially shifted in the direction oil' the arrow B, then the strap 2S exercises a pull upon the bar 2G, causing it to move in the direction ot the arrow .er and subsequent nioveinent of the bar 26 in a direction opposite to the direction ot the arrow A causes a corresponding but reverse movement ot the bar 26, again instigated by the strap 28. Thus, at each operation, one of the straps serves to provide transfer operation ot one bar to another and the other oit' the straps acts as an idler and the strap which acts to provide the shitting depends upon which ot the bars is primarily actuated. To one oit the straps 27 or 2S is secured the vertical l'lange 29 ot an angle plate, the horizontal tlange 30 olf which is secured to the strap 22. rllhis horizontal llange is preferably provided in its under surface with downwardly extending guide llanges 3l and 32 adapted to engage with opposite side 'faces ot a longitudinally extending' guide strip 38 secured to the upper surface ot the base plate.

Arranged at opposite sides ot the gate 13 and suitable distances freirl the gate are pivots Ell tor shatts 35 directed transversely ot the right-ot-way and each having at opposite ends thereof cranks 256 and 23'?, the crank 37 being provided with a-roller. The cranks 8T and 3G are counterbalanced, as at 38, so that they are normally vertically disposed and extend upwardly .troni the shatt. To cach crank 3G is secured one end ol3 a link 39, the opposite end ol which is engaged in a slot d() 'l'ornied in the reacting bar or 2G. l'ilhen the gate is horixontall y disposed, the connection between the link 39 and the corresponding bars 25 or 2G is arranged at the inner end of the slot, or that end next adjacent to the hase plate lO, with the ref-:ult that it one ot the cranks il? is engaged by the wheel ol a vehicle and shifted toward the base plate, the link 39 and bar associated therewith operate as a solid unit. Since, however, the second bar operates rcvcrsely to the lirst actuated bar, the second crank 37 is unaffected, the associated bar merely moving, so that the link connection el() shifts from one end to the opposite end oli the slot. The shifting ol the bar exercises a pull upon the straps 27 and 28 which .is transferred to the strap 22, causing the gate to open. rlhe vehicle passing through the gate engages the second crank which now has its pivotal connection 40 arranged at the end ot the slot remote from the gate, with the result rosanna that when the vehicle engages with the second crank, the second bar is operated, causing the gate to again swing about its pivots and shift to the closed position. When the gate closes, the counterbalance oit the second crank will return the crank to vertical posi-- tion and accordingly shift the link 3S), so that it is again disposed in the normal position or with its pivot at the inner end of the slot. rlhe shitting action of the bars caused by the engagement with the second cra-nk has already shifted the bar which was initially operated, so that ils link pivot is correspondingly arranged.

Pivoted to the end 23 ot the gate between the point ot connection ot the strap 22 therewith and the pivot l2 is an arm al having a roller a2 engaging the strap 22 adjacent its inner end and adjacent its outer end an adjustably secured counterweight dll. Adjacent its outer end, this arm has secured thereto one end of a llexible element all, the opposite end oll which is connected with the top ot' the gate adjacent the end 'lhe arm preferably projects from the gate at an angle ot d5@ to the end 23, so that while the gate is moving troni a vertical to a hori- Zontal position and when the center olf gravity ol the gate passes a vertical pla ne including the pivot oit the gate, the weight 43 which previously supported 'from the ground is lifted from the ground and counterbalances the 'further movement ot' the gate. As the gate moving from a horizontal to a vertical position and the center of gravity oit the gate pass s the pivot, the arm del cornes in contact with a roller pivot /L properly positioned upon thc ground adjacent the end 2?) oit the gate, with the result that the outer end of this arm during continued inm'einent of the gate to the vertical position moves upwardly inst id oi downwardly, again applying the resistance ot weight Afill lo the settling movement oil" the Thus, the weight lli serves to check the movement oli' the gate durilu its movement Vlo both horiicontal and vertical positions and, will, ot course, be obvious that this weight will also reduce the rest-alunne to movement ol the gate lo a point where this resistance may he readily overcome hv engagement ol;l a vehicle wheel with a crank 37.

gate for this purpose should be vcrv lightly and at the saine linie strongly cofistructed. To this end l preferably torni the gate with a rectangular il'ranie -f ot' planks ot coiisiderahle width. but olf reduced thickness. To the ,inner tacos of these planing l bolt bracing strips 15T which serve not onl v as a means for bracing the traine lo lait likewise as a means for attachingl a wire or similar covering 48. Adjacent the center ot the frame, fl provide a vertically extending brace 49 from the upper end of which to lou llt)

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the lower corner of the free end of the frame a diagonal brace 50 extends.` At the corner receiving the pivot 12, bracing plates 5l are preferably installed through which the pivot is directed. Such a gate will be light and, therefore, readily actuated and at the same time will be sufficiently rigid to withstand the jars to which a gate of this character is necessarily subjected.

Since the construction liereinbefore set forth is obviously capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the in vention, l do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

.I claim l. .In combination with a gate pivoted to swing from a closed position where it is horizontal to an open position where it is vert-ical, a pair of parallel bars spaced longitudinally of the gate and extending transversely thereof, said bars being arranged at opposite sides of the pivot of the gate, a web secured ,to the gateat opposite shies of the pivot thereof and passing about guides arranged at opposite sides of the pivot of the gate in a direction longitudinal of the gate and a connection between the bars whereby moven'ient of either the bars causes a corresponding movement of the other bar in the reverse direction, including a member paralleling the web and shifting longitudinally at that portion thereof paralleling the web the bars are shifted and a connection between the web and member.

In gate operating mechanism and in combination with a gate pivoted to swing from a position obstructing a right-of-way to a position at one side of the right-of-way, a pair of parallel bars, a connection between the ars whereby the bars move in opposite directions when either of the bars is actuated, an operative connection between the bars and the gate whereby the gate is rotated to open or close the same when ythe bars are shifted, a pair of c lank shafts arranged at opposite sides of the gate and each having a crank for engagement by the vehicle and a. second crank link-connected with one olf said bars, the link connection having a losiI motion engagement with the associated bar and being operable to shift the bar when the associated crankis engaged by a vehicle approacl'iing the gate only when the gate is in the closed position and by a vehicle receding from the gate only when the gate is in the open position, two pairs of rollers each .including a roller arranged adjacent one of said bars, a web passed about each pair of rollers and having opposite ends thereof secured to said bars, and an operative connection between one of said webs and the gate.

3. In a gate operating mechanism and in combination, an elongated base plate extending transversely of the right-of-way, a horizontal pivot carriedv by the base plate centrally thereof, a gate mounted upon the pivot to swing from horizontal to vertical positions, a web secured at one end to the bottom of the gate and at its opposite end to the back of the gate at points spaced from said pivot, a pair of horizontally disposed guide rollers mounted upon said base plate adjacent opposite ends thereof and about which said web is passed, two pairs of vertically disposed guide rollers each including a roller arranged adjacent a guide roller of the iirst mentioned pair, bars operating ad.

jacent corresponding guide rollers of the last named pairs, a web passed about each of the last named pairs of guide rollers and secured at its ends to said bars, a connection between one of said webs and the web secured to the gate and means engaged with said bars for shifting the bars longitudinally.

4. In a gate operating` mechanism and in combination, an elongated base plate eX- tending transversely of the 1'iglit-of-way, a horizontal pivot carried by theV base plate centrally thereof, a gate mounted upon the pivot to swing from horizontal to vertical positions, a web secured at one end to the bottom of the gate and at its opposite nd to the back of the gate at points spaced f Iom said pivot, a pair of horizontally disposed guide rollers mounted upon said base plate adjacent opposite ends thereof and about which said web is passed, two pairs of verti '.ally disposed guide rollers each including a roller arranged adjacent a guide roller of the lirst mentioned pair, bars operating adjacent corresponding guide rollers of the last named pairs, a web passed about each of the last named pairs of guide rollers and secured at its ends to said bars, a connection between one of said webs and the web seA cured tothe gate, means engaged with said bars for shifting the bars longitudinally including a crank shaft for each bar having a crank for engagement by a vehicle and al second crank to which a link is pivoted, the opposite end of the link having a pin and slot engagement with the associated bar, the crank being biased to maintain the same in vertical position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

oARLos M. WHITAKER.

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